Opposition leader says PML-N has doubts that MFN status will make India change stance on Kashmir.

ISLAMABAD: A proposed government plan to grant India the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status suffered multiple shocks on Thursday when the main opposition party, a bipartisan parliamentary panel on Kashmir and pro-establishment political outfits opposed it in unison.

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar informed the National Assembly last week that the government had, in principle, decided to give India MFN status and a formal announcement was likely any time.

It is, however, not known whether the decision has the backing of the military-dominated establishment, which says that most of the threats to the country’s security and territorial integrity are emanating from the east.

The loudest opposition to the plan came from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) which said it did not want war with India but had ‘serious concerns’ on giving New Delhi the MFN, a privilege through which one country gives trade concessions to the other.

A parliament’s special committee on Kashmir, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam- Fazl (JUI-F) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) also joined the chorus against what is seen as a big leap forward to normalise relations between the two nuclear-armed rivals.

Speaking at a news conference here, National Assembly Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said his PML-N party had doubts that any concession to India would ever make it change its stance on Kashmir.

“I tell you, it is unrealistic to think that India will give up its hard line on Kashmir,” said Nisar in a statement in sharp contradiction to a recent public speech by PML-N President Nawaz Sharif in which he advocated cordial relations between the rivals, a position that earned him a barrage of criticism from other political factions.

“Trade with India should not be at the cost of Kashmir,” the opposition leader added. “We should not expect New Delhi to alter its position, because Musharraf gave them several concessions but none worked.”

One of Nisar’s objections to the proposal was that neither the opposition party nor the parliament was taken into confidence prior to taking a decision which touched national interest. “There must have been a parliamentary debate on it,” he argued.

In a separate statement, the secretariat of the All-Party Kashmir Committee urged the government to withdraw the plan because it was “not in accordance with the aspirations of millions of countrymen”.

“We will not let the government grant India MFN status because it never consulted us on the issue,” said JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who is also chief of the Kashmir Affairs Committee.

“We have written our dissenting notes to the foreign and commerce ministries on the issue,” said Rehman.

The JI – a political party with little presence in the parliament but considerable street power – also asked the government to withdraw its decision and extend its full support to the Kashmir liberation movement.

Concerned about the ECP and NAB

At his news conference, Nisar also criticised the government for ignoring enacting a correspondence law in pursuance of last year’s 18th constitutional amendment to give legal cover to the appointment of members to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Chaudhry said that by delaying the key legislation, the government wanted to keep the ECP under constant pressure ahead of general elections.

He also said that in the next couple of days the PML-N would file a petition in the Supreme Court to challenge the appointment of Admiral (retd) Fasih Bokhari as the chief of the National Accountability Bureau.

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Reader Comments (52)

Oh well. India is not the looser in the bargain. I am sure India will also revoke the PAK MFN status, if things get worse.

But I am sure after the usual political chest thumping, the MFN will go thorough at the PAK end. PAK is not in a position to bargain if she wants EU trade concessions from India.

Kashmir- by now PAK should know how much devastation it has caused her. Save what you have should be the policy going forward.

If PAK people think that india Kashmir is more important than Waziristan or Baluchistan, then no hope for PAK. Kashmir in India has moved along and when BJP comes to power they will take a hard line stance on Kashmir issue with PAK. At that time, Americans will be gone in Afghanistan and PAK has to stretch thin her resources, both on east and west.

great, then forget India giving concessions on EU trade and allowing Pak exports. Indians must be laughing at our immaturity, that time and again we commit something internationally, but never ever fulfill promises. No doubt no one takes us seriously on any matter what so ever. On one hand we beg everyone including India to give trade concessions while on the other put a chaotic show in house to confuse everyone including us. We are turning out to be laughing stock of the world from America to Europe to Asia… very sad state of affairs…

when india had already given MFN status to Pakistan, I dont understand whats harm in giving MFN status to India. Situation on Kasmir remains same even after giving MFN to India but bilateral trade will increase which pakistan needs very badly as this situation.

MFN is only a cosmetic thing;
India has many other non tariff barriers which impede trade with Pakistan. The issue needs to be looked at from holistic point of view and not the ‘key-hole’ perspective which is prevalent both in India and Pakistan –

India can sustain the loss of MFN status but can Pakistan survive the loss of MFN status. Pakis should consider where their financial weel being lies. A penurious state cannot afford to bring extraneous issues to bear on economic considerations.

You know what. India can keep Kashmir. The province seems to have caused more trouble then its worth. Lets just concentrate on hanging on to whats left of the country. We grew up eharing the slogan “Kashmir bannega Pakistan”. The interesting part is that the Kashmiris themselves have never ever raised this slogan so if they themselves dont wish to be a part of Pakistan then lets just grant them this wish.

First of all – the Indian proxy war was executed to divert attention from Kashmir. Pakistan is fully aware of that. Pakistanis stand for principles regardless of the adversities imposed upon them through the Indian terror activities. Kashmir stands on its own merits and will not be compromised or distracted. It is the oldest UN and human right issue and UN owes it to the people of Kashmir and Pakistan will honor that. Therefore, to reward India with MFN status a country that has committed genocide on the Kashmiris and refuse to give them their UN legal rights of freedom is an insult to the cause of Kashmir. Kashmir issue need to be settled first and then only India should be given concessions.
Pakistan has many other options for business other than India.

What these fools do not realise is that Pakistan came begging to India to get the Europe trade concession through. In return it had to do this. Whosever wants to scrap this deal is in reality saying go back to India and scrap the access to European markets that India has allowed Pakistan. That would indeed take these innocent imbeciles back to the stone age.

Why is it that only Pakistan keeps harping about Kashmir? Why dont any of the other members of the OIC take it up? We need to put our own house in order then think about helping others. The sooner we get over this Kashmir phobia the sooner this country will start to be what it was meant to be ie a secular, modern islamic state.

Kashmir saw the rise of India as an economical super power and also the decline of Pakistan to 12th failed state among the international communities. Harp about Kashmir endlessly, good luck to Pakistan.

Come on now. Don’t give India MFN status. If that makes people in Pakistan happy. Afterall you could have got access to 1.2 billion+ consumer market for your goods. Sharief brothers can afford to ignore this market, but can SMEs of PAkistan?

Kashmir? We can not live for dreams rather we are to live in reality. India is our neighbour, may be a bad one; but we dont have any choice but to live together. Same lesson for Indians.
Kashmir issue needs courage of both the countries, but hardliners such as BJP and JI and their mentality do not want it to solve the problem rationally.
Its good to traede between neighbours, recently khadm-e-aala Punjab imported medicines from India; where was Ch Nisar then? Stop crying
Let Pakistan progress on the road of trade, economy, harmony, tolerance and prosperity.Recommend

3 news items in Indian news papers shows what you guys have missed in the last 60+ years, wasted running behind Kashmir.

1) India’s GP F1 curcuit opened
2) Bangalore gets its first Metro (operational for public from today)
3) Court questions Tamil Nadu chief minister about unaccounted money and another chief minister sent to Jail for favouring his family on a land deal

to all indians…
pakistanis don’t want peace, trade, money, dollars, prosperity, development, democracy, rule of law, evolution, hope, dream etc etc….
they just want kashmir….. whatever destruction it will bring to pakistan, even if they will eat grass for next 1000 years…are you listening… they want just kashmir.
so stop preaching / advising them.

I think PML N is being very smart here. I am Indian and I know very well that PML N is the most pro business party otherwise. But one has to consider this issue from an internal Pakistani perspective.

In 1999, when NAwaz Sharif wanted to normalize the relationship with India it was Army establishment that let him down by doing Kargil. recently, when NawAz Sharif gave a speech about normalizing relationships with India, again it was media and political entities, who always support establishment,that criticized him.

Today, Army is in hot water with US and wants to pacify things with India hence it is agreeing to MFN with India.Anyone who thinks it os PPP government that is pushing for it, or would have been allowed to offer it, without Army backing is insane.

NawazSharif should not fall in this trap. He should remain anti Indian in Public at least till election time.

@Parvez+Mahmud:
India’s trade is around $600+ billion..with Pakistan, it’s around $2 billion..with MFN, may go around $4-5 billion..now, do your maths and decide who will be the loser..The reason for upset is MFN status was used as a bargain chip to seek concessions from India on the EU exports issue which benefits Pakistan to the tune of 700 million Euros..So, its more of committment of your words and trust…not so much on material value..If India hits back EU objections and cancellation of her MFN status to Pak (since 2005)..decide who’ll be the loser

@Parvez+Mahmud:
I’m not Indian and can only speak for myself but, when someone keeps saying the same thing repeatedly no matter how many times you’ve provided them with perfectly logical argument and they still seem like their goal in life is to be and remain absurd, it can get a rise out of most people.Recommend

How about a referendum in Pakistan to see if Majority of Pakistani’s want to win Kashmir at the cost of peace, stability and progress?

Supporting a Kashmir cause, need not be at the cost of the above. You can have trade, progress and peace while differing on a few issues.

But, if we don’t make progress on other issues, and keep talking of only one issue, our relationship will be uni-dimensional and welfare of close to 1.4billion people will be held hostage to an outcome, that in reality only has any meaning to less than 20million people (of Kashmir).

So, it is best to let time solve the Kashmir issue and improve our lots.

“I tell you, it is unrealistic to think that India will give up its hard line on Kashmir,” said Nisar.
“Trade with India should not be at the cost of Kashmir,” the opposition leader added. “We should not expect New Delhi to alter its position, because Musharraf gave them several concessions but none worked.”

@Jamsheer:
@Malatesh:

This is 2011, not 1947. The boat of Kashmir has long sailed away. Kashmir legally acceded to India. It was Pakistan, not India, who sabotaged the fate of Kashmir, first, by invading Kashmir and then, by refusing to comply with the UN resolution requiring Pakistan to withdraw its forces from Kashmir in order for UN to hold a free and fair plebiscite. Hence, the UN resolution could not be implemented. That resolution has since long lapsed. At the lapse of the resolution, Kashmir was made a state of India in 1956 as per it’s accession which amounts to a full and final transfer of property under international law. The UN recognizes this. Therefore, it does not entertain any petition on the matter anymore. Recommend

did pakistani politicians missed IT era. dont they know that all the details about the wto are online.
do they think that they are still eye candy of west like pre-80s era of cold war.
kashmir kashmir kashmir!!!!
if you want kashmir independent then separate it from pakistan and make it apply for uno seat like palestine. make it internationally recognized. give its gilgit back to it. making it protectorate is something different from colonizing it. why elections for Kashmir are held allover pakistan? let kashmiris decide they want democracy or something diff!!Recommend

@Umar:
“Kashmir issue needs courage of both the countries, but hardliners such as BJP and JI and their mentality do not want it to solve the problem rationally.”
DOn’t equate BJP with JI. BJP Prime Minister had come to India and signed the Lahore peace treaty with Pakistan. He was stabbed in the back for Kargill. HE still wanted to pursue peace so in 2001 July Musharraf was invited to Agra.

They do not have the blind hatred for non-Hindus that JI people seem to have for non-Muslims. It is during their term that Abdul Kalaam was made President of India and many Indians would say that he was probably one of the best 2/3 Presidents that India has ever had.

@Parvez+Mahmud:
Because we do not need Afghanistan like situation in our neighborhood you smart lad.. Do you even realize what Taliban of Afghanistan has done to Pakistan? It is dragging Pakistan to stone age.

I understand that the confusion arises out of MFN being translated in Urdu as sabe pyara mulk* which causes some heartburn in Pakistan when related to India. Why not translate it as deegar mulkon ke barabar ka darja*?
That might just make the ignorant a bit more comfortable.

@John B:
Revoke PAK’s MFN status. Come on. We are trembling . We are so scared. ahhhhhhhhhh…
Go revoke it. And veto the EU concession. As far as You taking waziristan , Yo can dream the entire century. And Of course, No Hindu Business in Balochistan. They are all Muslim Population areas. And I dont thin India will ever committ the mistake to station its forces in Afghnistan to create Law and order in either Balochistan or Waziristan. They should learn a lesson from soviet defeat and Now from US. Hindu ambition is good but it will be a suicide mission. Look at US and NATO how deparately they are trying to come out of Afghanistan. You want to go in fr them? Common , Munnay,,, LOL. Be our guest. Go and conquest Waziristan. try you brave Indian Army there and see what happens?. Do not threat Pakistan. You are no Tarzan. So tone down. Pakistanis do not need your trade. But let me tell you this, KASHMIR ISSUE WILL BE KEPT ALIVE UNTIL ITS INDEPENDENCE FROM THE HINDU RULE AND OUR STAND ON THIS IS LEGITIMATE. So it’s not the cause of Pakistan only but All the Muslims around the world. If not, Ask kashmiris they will tell you. Pakistan will never withdraw from its legitimate position over Kashmir until its independence from occupied Indian forces. Do not threat , It won’t work. It’s still time that you come to senses. Super powers status are being changed. Old ones are getting defeated in Afghanistan. Looks you are the next in Afghan arena as You have High dreams for WAZIRISTAN AND BALOCHISTAN. Recommend

@Jamsheer:
India has nothing much to gain from MFN with Pakistanis, as they are a small economy. On the other hand Pakistani business will gain economies of scale due to the large Indian market. There are no billionaire business men in pak, not because they are insane, but they don’t have the conomy of scale in any sector. This MFN will help the pakistani busiess and factories. So India don’t give a hoot about the MFN even though it should have been offered in 1994 as most normal countries reciprocate.Recommend

Pakistan is borderline bankrupt and apparently is willing to risk financial disaster over Kashmir — make no sense. It’s almost as absurd as risking warfare with the American’s over protecting the Haqqqani.Recommend

Most Pakistanis harp about the U.N resolution on kashmir, from their president to the ambassador to the Joe in the street.. They never read the resolution which is first of all not binding (under voluntary part of the U.N resolutions section). The Onus is on Pakistan to vacate the parts of Kasmir it invaded and India is allowed to keep military as needed to keep law and order in Kashmir. The religious ratios existed in Kashmir in 1947 have to recover, then plebisite, which can never happen as they gave away part of Kasmir to China and killed, raped and forcefully converted hindus, sikhs and buddhists to Islam. So Pakistanis can harp all they want, there will be no plebesite and India is never going to give away Kashmir where Indian soldiers shed blood. It will be the day HELL freezes over that Pak get Kashmir, wish all you want.Recommend

Pakistan stands on principles, must ba unique set, rest of the world doesn’t understand it. Recent adjectives used, even yesterday by the US delegation, duplicitous, double dealing, untrustworthy, lying, etc. Suppose these are all priniciples Pakistan live by daily.Recommend

India should revoke the MFN status it gave to Pakistan thinking it will generate positive reciprocal action from Pakistan. It has just done the opposite and failed.
India should also not remove its objections to Europe giving preferential trade concessions to Pakistan at the cost of Indian exports. That makes no sense.

Total isolation and disengagement from Pakistan is what Pakistan desires and India must reciprocate that.

India Pakistan relations will always be a one step forward and two steps backward story for another 100 years. There is no way India will give up Kashmir. Therefore we will continue having the same state of affairs. Only workable relationship between India and Pakistan is that of music and nothing else. We love their singers and they love ours. Let it be this way till world comes to an end… I just watched the latest Pakistani song video…its great…

Fankly, If Indians dont care about it, then why oh why, are there so many Indians in here taking time to comment on this “not-worthy-useless” news? In a democracy, parliament has to be taken on board. Its as simple as that. Parliamentarians have the right to question the government on such issues. For enlightenment purposes, go check how the US congress debated FTA with South Korea. Colombia, etc.

Pakistan continues to follow self-destructive policies ie supporting terror and sectarian organisations, antgonising its minorities and creating a BD situation, spending forty percent of its budget on defence instead of investing in trade, electricity to boost its economy, spending its aid and resources against anti-India activities rather than doing trade with India in order to get out of its economic mess.

MFN or no MFN, the way India is progressing it would be stupid for Indian held Kashmir to join Pakistan. In fact if we don’t mend our ways, our part of Kashmir will start asking to join them. Prosperity attracts while poverty repels.

Why trade more with india ? it will just damage pakistani industries since we have less economies of scale and cause more indian influence on pak and weak our position to protect our interest in negotiations

as for india opposing EU deal.did pakistan ever oppose a single indian trade deal ? just shows indian attitide towards pakistan, they want to keep us weak and under control. why help them ?

Indo-pak trade is 75%(4 billion dollars) in indians favour. they have many hidden barriors.indians like to pretend they have given us MFN status just like they pretend pakistani players are not banned from IPL.

Not upset sir!! It’s funny!! India’s trade volume is about $450billion and Pakistan is nowhere among the trade partners of India!! But the Pakistani politicians are acting as if they are providing a great favour to India!!! – not knowing it was something which they are required to do anyway under international trade rules!! And then even trying to link it to Kashmir, when at the same time wheels are coming off in rest of the country and faces bankruptcy and international isolation !!What delusion!!

Javed: “MFN or no MFN, the way India is progressing it would be stupid for Indian held Kashmir to join Pakistan. In fact if we don’t mend our ways, our part of Kashmir will start asking to join them. Prosperity attracts while poverty repels.”

Wonderfully explained. The Indian side of Kashmir is infatuated with God knows what, and their thinking may not be rational, but the Pakistani side is not love-struck. With better communication available now a days, the Azad Kashmir people will soon start to see the difference and your prophecy may come out to be true!

They should put the politicians in the coal mines. They actually like digging holes until something explodes in their face. There’s also clean air that smells like roses on all sides of them for at least the distance of a city block. Their very presence will be a blessing for the workers.

@Jahanzeb Khan:
Another thing if religion is d binding force why did bangladesh separate,why r muslims killing each other in almost all islamic countries.Baloch ppl hate u beyond imagination.Shia-Sunni conflict has waged since the Martyrdom of Imam Hussayn.Afghanistan opposed inclusion of Pakistan in UN and still claims Frontier belongs 2 dem.Try 2 manage wht u have first the chest thumpin will do no good. and Indian muslims r highly patriotic.Recommend

@Jahanzeb Khan
problem is that you don’t understand the concept of modern secular state. Calling India a “hindu state” is fine as long as you are in Zia’s Islamic Republic of Pakistan but outside anywhere in the civilized world, people including “muslims” will laugh
Mind you if Indian boots are ever in Afganistan, don’t be so sure that they are hindus.

@vivek ruparel:
Tone down. Kashmir where people have protested for the last 64 years is your Hindu occupied Kashmir,. Division of Pakistan and Indian in 1947 was that Muslim Majority Areas On the western Part of the subcontinent were to become part of Pakistan including Kashmir. That’s why it’s Occupied by Your Hindu forces. As far as the economy is concern < it’s none of your Business. It’s your sick brain instead of us. So go and get it fixed. If you do the personal Attacks Indi Boy, You must be aware that we are not short on courage. It was you who were ruled by the British not Pashtoons . So, Look at your History first and learn some lessons. Don’t pass on your Centuries old fears that you always live under , to us. Point is what your Hindu State Govt. is doing to Hindu Occupied kashmir is State Sponsored terrorism against the Majority Muslim population. You and others here will deny it, but we don’t care never does the world because they know very well who is the real Terrorist in Occupied Kashmir.

Hahaha don’t try to Play bangladesh card here or Shia Sunni or other. Bangladesh is an example of your State’s terrorism and intervention when it was none of your Business. If it had to become autonomous it should have been without your Intervention. But it proves that for decades You had been supporting terrorism at the state level. Tamil tigers another example where your Hindu State was trying to do the same it did in bangladesh. Look, You can not continue with this terrorist State Policy for ever. It’s simply a matter of time when your own terms comes. As far as the baloch hate us or not is none of your Business…. who likes you in your own neighborhood at people level? Can you name one country? This is what your real worth is ad you are giving s lectures? Recommend